Eastern Cape department of social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta has called on government departments to strengthen their working relationships and ensure vulnerable communities are not denied access to essential services.
Fanta was speaking at the West End Community Hall in Bethelsdorp on Wednesday during an Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme, attended by about 500 community members who came to receive assistance from various entities.
The community received services from different departments such as social development, the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa), home affairs, and representatives from financial institutions such as Nedbank and Absa.
October is Social Development Month, and this year’s theme, Strengthen Families, underscores the importance of building resilient family structures.
In line with the theme, Fanta said many of SA's social challenges could be traced to the breakdown of family units.
"The outreach, held under the theme 'One community. multiple services. One shared commitment', brought together government departments and various stakeholders to provide residents with information, guidance and access to essential services," Fanta said.
"For many people, reaching a service can be difficult.
"The distance may be too great. Transport may be costly or unavailable.
"Information may be hard to find.
"A person may not know which office to visit, what documents to bring or what to do if they need help urgently.
"These barriers can make people feel that support is out of reach.
"They can also delay assistance until a problem becomes more serious.
“By bringing different services together, we can help reduce some of these barriers and make it easier for residents to ask questions, receive guidance and connect with the right people."
Angelina Mti, 43, from Ext 36 in Bethelsdorp, who was waiting in a Sassa queue, said it was wonderful to have government departments bringing services directly to communities.
"We spend at least R30 to go to and come back to Cleary Park Shopping Centre, but we do not have that money for transport costs because we are unemployed.
"Today, I am in a queue to inquire about my R350 grant.
"It has been two years since I last got it and I only got it three times.
"There is no-one that is working at home and there are five of us living together, inclusive of children, so I am hopeful I will leave having got some help," Mti said.
Janet Brink, 65, from Arcadia, who received help from home affairs officials, agreed that it was much more convenient to have government departments coming to their communities.
"I came to apply for a smart ID, because I had the old ID," Brink said.
"It did not take long for me to be helped, they took about 15 minutes."